Harlem Legionnaires' Disease Outbreak Declared Over

The New York City Health Department announced the official end of the Legionnaires' disease outbreak in Central Harlem on Friday. After three weeks, a total of 114 cases were reported, resulting in 90 hospitalizations and 7 deaths. Six individuals remain hospitalized.

The outbreak was linked to Legionella bacteria found in cooling towers at Harlem Hospital and a city-leased construction site. The Health Department's advanced molecular analysis confirmed the genetic match between the bacteria and the affected patients.

City's Response and Proposed Reforms

All facilities with cooling towers in the affected area fully cooperated with the investigation and implemented cleaning and disinfection protocols. However, the Adams administration is proposing several significant changes to prevent future outbreaks:

• Increased Inspections: Expanding the Health Department's capacity to inspect cooling towers by hiring additional water ecologists and building system engineers.
• Proactive Sampling: Expanding sampling capacity for proactive testing of cooling tower systems.
• Community Engagement: Establishing a community engagement team to provide information and education to residents.
• More Frequent Testing: Requiring building owners to test for Legionella every 30 days instead of the current 90-day requirement.
• Increased Fines: Increasing fines for non-compliance with cooling tower regulations.

The Health Department is also conducting a comprehensive review of the city's cooling tower regulations to strengthen them further.

Despite these measures, former Governor Andrew Cuomo advocated for an independent review by the New York State Health Department, expressing concerns about self-regulation.

Key Risk Factors

At least 90% of those infected had at least one of the following risk factors: being over 50, smoking, living with a chronic condition, or having a compromised immune system.